May 02, 2011

Emanuel names Garry McCarthy new Chicago police superintendent

Posted by Kristen Mack and Hal Dardick at 11:05 a.m.; last updated at 12:29 p.m.

Mayor-elect Rahm Emanuel today named as Chicago's new police superintendent Garry McCarthy, the Newark, N.J. police director who debuted innovative and controversial crime-fighting techniques during a long career in New York.

"Garry's experience spearheading innovation will bring new ideas to the Chicago Police Department," Emanuel said at a news conference. "Garry is ready to lead today. He knows how to lead a large police force."

"The main reason I wanted to move with speed and haste was the fact that our citizens, with the summer months coming, deserve a public safety team ready to go on day one,” Emanuel said.

Emanuel detailed McCarthy's history as a beat officer in New York City who rose to deputy commissioner. On Sept. 11, 2001, McCarthy "stood strong. We never doubted his courage or his commitment," Emanuel said.

Emanuel said McCarthy will restore the command structure, including selecting a number two in charge of the department. McCarthy said he's honored to accept the challenge.

“We’re going into the summer and obviously I have to hit the ground running," McCarthy said. "Fortunately, I have a lot of excitement, endurance and energy I’m going to be bringing to this job.”

McCarthy said he's going to concentrate on reducing violence across the board and reducing the fear of crime.

“The murder rate in this city is way too high," McCarthy said.

Emanuel said contract details need to be worked out, but McCarthy will make less than the former superintendent Jody Weis, who made $300,000 a year, a salary that was criticized.

McCarthy said it's more important that morale go in the right direction.

“As long as you’re working hard and doing the right thing, I will have the cops’ backs. And they’re going to learn that very quickly," he said.

McCarthy also talked about dealing with the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, including identifying body parts in the aftermath.

"It's certainly the most horrific event I've ever experienced. Not just the action when it occurred, but the recovery."

The experience helped him develop leadership skills, he said.

"I really learned how to lead with a coolness and a confidence that will translate throughout the police agency," McCarthy said. "I have a good reputation as far as being a leader in crisis management situations."

McCarthy said learning how to deal with gangs will be a challenge. Chicago has street gangs that run based on a hierarchy and he says he wants to focus on getting guns off the street.

"We're going to create a standard for policing in this city that doesn't exist anywhere else," said McCarthy, who said fighting crime has gone from reactive to proactive. “The moral authority of the community has to be heard on the ears of the people who are committing that crime," McCarthy said.

McCarthy said he will be sworn in as a civilian police superintendent until he receives certification as a police officer here, then he will wear the uniform.

Ald. Edward Burke, 14th, the longest-serving member of the City Council, said today he anticipates the council would move fast to approve the appointment of McCarthy.

“I believe it will be very quick,” Burke said. “I believe the members of the City Council share the concern that as we’re approaching another summer season that the leader of the police department be on the job and in place to create the strategies necessary to combat what has historically has been an increase in crime in summer months.”

Burke, a former Chicago police officer, said he believes that although McCarthy is an outsider, his history as a beat cop from a law-enforcement family will put him in better stead with the rank and file compared to Weis, a former FBI supervisor.

"I think it resonates with Chicago cops, that they know even though he comes from a different location, he’s one of theirs,” Burke said.

"Garry McCarthy served our city with distinction and profound commitment. His skill, management, leadership and experience presided over a dramatic drop in crime from his start in 2006 most notably seen in the reduction in murders and shootings," Booker said.

The incoming mayor also announced the rest of his public safety team. Emanuel is keeping Robert Hoff as fire commissioner. The 33-year Fire Department veteran was appointed by Mayor Richard Daley nearly a year ago. He's a two-time winner of the department's top award for bravery and was the incident commander of the department's deployment to New York City after the Sept. 11 attacks.

Leading the city's 911 center will be Gary Schenkel. He's a former Marine who led federal security efforts at Midway Airport and currently has been working at the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.

Felicia Davis will be deputy chief for public safety. She's a 10-year veteran of the Chicago Police Department. She's been a police officer, detective and community policing instructor. She's been working at Kendall College, a Chicago school that specializes in culinary and hospitality schooling.

"Chicago deserves and demands a public safety team that is second to none," Emanuel said. "This team brings together top talent from Chicago and the nation."

McCarthy, who was a contender for the Chicago job in 2003, was one of three finalists named Friday by the Chicago Police Board following weeks of interviewing and background checking. While the board is not scheduled to present its list to Emanuel for official action until he is sworn in May 16, the mayor-elect never planned on waiting that long and conducted his own candidate search that put McCarthy at the top.

McCarthy, 51, spent more time with Emanuel during that interview process and gained the edge over the other finalists, both Chicago veterans — Chief of Patrol Eugene Williams and Debra Kirby, deputy superintendent for the Bureau of Professional Standards.

In 2006, McCarthy took over the Newark Police Department. He and Mayor Cory Booker won accolades for improvements in public safety almost immediately. But the subsequent recession hit Newark especially hard, and crime has crept back up even as budget cuts have forced McCarthy to sharply cut the size of the police force.

McCarthy said Friday that he was impressed by Emanuel and hoped to get the Chicago job.

"Certainly, the culture of the NYPD is different from the culture of the Chicago Police Department, but cops are cops are cops," McCarthy said.

In New York, McCarthy rose to prominence as the department was drawing both praise and criticism for new policing strategies, including the "broken windows" policy of arresting people for the most minor crimes.

McCarthy later ran the CompStat system that held commanders accountable for crime statistics in their districts in harsh monthly reviews.

Emanuel today also thanked acting Supt. Terry Hillard for stepping in after Weis' departure earlier this year. "What a team, what a team," Hillard said.

All 50 aldermen on the Chicago City Council had to file paperwork earlier this year detailing their outside income and gifts. The Tribune took that ethics paperwork and posted the information here for you to see. You can search by ward number or alderman's last name.

The Cook County Assessor's office has put together lists of projected median property tax bills for all suburban towns and city neighborhoods. We've posted them for you to get a look at who's paying more and who's paying less.

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